What if?
by Lovestory81
Summary: This story contiues after the last episode of season 5...What if Alex didn't threw his phone out of the window?


_**I had to rewrite this story. Wasn't totally happy with it..Now it turned out better!**_

_**I got inspired by StevieLUVSAlex and Kepc, they're both great writers! ….We also have reruns here, but we're somewhere around season 5. But off course I already saw all the episodes years ago. Here's my story: What if Alex did answer the phone? We all know that Stevie was about to tell Alex about her feelings in the last episode of season 5, when she also got that romantic and realistic dream about Alex paying an early visit to Drovers Run and lifted her of the ground, gently placed her on a hay bale and while he was on top of her, he started kissing her full of love and passion. I was so sad when the episode ended so wrong! Stevie desperately trying to reach him...Alex throwing out his phone and leaving for the city...And we all know how he returned and with who! :( Enjoy this story, it's a one shot! **_

Stevie hung up the phone, she just talked to Dave, asking for Alex. She desperately needed to talk to him.. Her stomach twisted when Dave told her Alex had left and was heading for the city. She had felt bad today, but now she felt even worse, like her heart was breaking. In a hurry she dialed his number, she felt her heartbeat rate and her fingers trembled while she tried to reach him on his cellphone. She could hear herself breath nervously and was hoping to hear his voice any moment. She still thought about when she saved him from the fire earlier today. It was a shock to find him, but even worse when she'd found out he wasn't breathing! It was like nothing else mattered, those minutes where terrifying. For the second time she thought she'd lost him..And now she was even more sure about her feelings for him, she had to tell him.

From Alex' point of view it was obvious he didn't want to take the call, he wasn't in the mood to talk. To no one, not even to Stevie, she had her chance today. Alex had just opened the window and was ready to throw the phone out. He was fed up by everything! But while he was holding it he saw the incoming call: "Drovers Run." That could be Stevie..It sure meant something to him, it had been a weird day and maybe it was good to talk about it. But it made him even more angry when he thought about it a little longer. Why the hell would she care now? She didn't seem to care at all today, in fact she was keeping some kind of distance and was avoiding him. He still didn't got it why she was acting like that.

The phone stopped ringing, but shortly after it stopped it started ringing again. What's the hurry now? He was annoyed by the call, he needed some time alone, some rest and peace. And he still had the window open, moving his hand up high, ready to throw the phone out of the car. Why didn't she wanted to talk earlier today? Just when he needed her so much. Harry -his non biological father- such a pain in the ass lately, he could be like that, but it got a lot worse and it was really bothering and hurting Alex more and more. Maybe things were like this because Nick wasn't around anymore?

Alex just couldn't find any support lately, not even from Stevie. So he found some kind of comfort with Sandra today. He started to realize what happened and felt sick when he thought about it. He was feeling numb and acted regardless. He and Sandra shared the same feelings about Harry and it kind of felt good spitting it all out and kissing his old man's ex-wife. It was like he could hurt him back. Suddenly he felt doubts, whether he would answer the phone or not. He looked at it again, shook his head and threw the phone on the passenger seat, still ringing.

He just couldn't bare it anymore. Harry, Killarney, everything that has happened to Nick, all the grief he's had. Nick and Tess gone to Argentina..everything! It was getting to much for him. Even Stevie was to much for him at the moment..And for some dumb reason she was acting so weird since that morning, he didn't get it and he didn't even wanted to figure it out at the moment. She wouldn't even share a six pack and a good chat. All he wanted is to spit it all out and Stevie was usually the one who was always there for him, like he was for her.

Too bad he took of like that, so he missed her declaration of love. She was definitely going to say it all, just right after she saved his life. But it was to late, the timing was wrong, would it ever be right again?

He took a quick look at his cellphone again when it rang another time, he sighed and frowned his eyebrows. He decided to close the window and answer the call. "Yeah. What's up?" He softly answerd, sounding a little annoyed.

Stevie just promised herself this was the last time she tried to reach him. She felt a little better finally hearing his voice. "Alex. Where are you going?" She sounded worried.

Alex liked the worried sound in her voice, it made him feel important and it confirmed the fact she cared about him.

"No worries, I'll be back before you know it. Need to go away for a while."

Stevie hated it when he took of like that, he did that before, wondering off in the woods. She didn't want him to leave, especially now when she'd got something important to tell him.

"For a while?! Why? And how long would that be?"

But Alex was determined to go. "I just need some time alone Stevie."

Stevie knew it had everything to do with Harry. "You know, running isn't going to help. Believe me, I've been there."

Alex sighed and shook his head. "I wanted to talk to you about it, but were avoiding me for some reason."

Stevie felt uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, I'll explain later, ok?..But I'm here for you now? Maybe you should come back."

It sounded tempting and he doubted. "I don't know..If I continue driving I'll be there before midnight."

Stevie noticed he was doubting. "You can always leave tomorrow. If I didn't convinced you to stay anyway." With a much softer tone in her voice she tried even harder to stop him from leaving. "Please Alex pull over, I need you to come back."

Alex smiled when he heard her practically begging. "Hey, I'll be back, I'm sure you'll manage without me."

But Stevie wasn't smiling at all. "How long where you planning to stay away?"

"I don't know.."

Stevie felt her eyes burning with upcoming tears. "Is it for a week? A month? Half a year?"

Alex shook his head. "A few weeks I guess, maybe a month. Long enough to let the old bastard know I'm bloody serious about this."

"Alex, you can't just leave like that!" She was getting mad out of frustration.

Did she had to tell him on the phone how she felt? Would that stop him? She tried to stay calm and took a deep breath. "I will miss you..." Tears escaped from her eyes, she made the first move to tell him about her feelings for him.

Alex was very touched when Stevie said that. "Hey..I'll miss you too. I promise I'll be back before you know it." He soothingly assured her.

Stevie knew she had to convince him to drive back home. He just had to know about her feelings. "Please. Pull over, you have to come back. There's something I have to tell you, it's important."

Alex looked a bit surprised, but he was still holding on to his huge grudge against Harry and he wasn't planning to return, not yet. "Can't it wait?"

Stevie looked disappointed. "No it can't! Just get back here...Now."

Alex was surprised by her demanding way of pushing him somewhere where he didn't want to go, but he doubted. He really cared about her and if she said it was something important, she wouldn't lie. The way she talked to him actually made him soften up a bit and the tension inside him decreased. She could do that.

"Oh, it's that important, huh?" He said with a smile.

Stevie shook her head and felt he had changed his mind. "Just get your ass back over here Alex Ryan!"

"It better be important mate!"

He walked up the porch as she was sitting there, covered in a blanket, staring at the stars. "Well, here I am again." He stated.

She quickly looked behind her. "Hey...Nice to see you again." She shyly responded.

She couldn't help it checking him out. She really had tried to get that dream out of her mind, but it didn't work so far. And he is such an incredible sexy and irresistible man, that feeling got stronger when she remembered the way he kissed her. Now he's even wearing that same blue shirt! His hair looked messy he had sad eyes and looked tired. He kept quiet as he sad down on the porch beside her.

"So..You wanted to talk about something?" He directly pointed out.

She deeply inhaled and thought of how to begin this conversation, what did Tess said about it? She couldn't remind it. She touched his wrist rested her hand there.

"Are you ok? You look tired." She looked into his eyes, he nodded. "Alex, I hate it when you take of like that."

He looked sad. "I know, I should have said something, but I was pretty messed up."

Stevie sighed. "Tell me something, if no one noticed that fire then God know's what would've happened."

"But you did and no one got hurt."

Alex immediately thought about the old cottage he was in with Sandra. What on earth was he doing there? He remembers the drinking and thinks about the kiss he shared with Sandra, he hadn't felt anything, it was nothing, not even worth to mention.. He felt so desperate, but it was stupid, so stupid!

"What where you doing there with her?" Stevie asked the question he wanted to skip.

He sighed as he thought about how to answer that. "We were sharing some bad things about Harry, he is such a bastard, I'm so done with him Stevie.."

All they did was talking about what was bothering Alex, but he suddenly reminded he was there to hear what she had to say. "Oh wait a minute...I'm sorry, you had something important to tell me. You go first."

"It's ok, it can wait...I can't see how you can find any comfort in being with Sandra."

He looked hurt and felt even more stupid. "Yeah go on, rub it in. I didn't find comfort with her and I never will. I just needed someone to talk to. You weren't there Stevie."

Stevie knew she had did that on purpose, she had been avoiding him that day, because of that dream she had. But on the other hand she's a little mad or jealous, about him being in that old cottage, with Sandra.

"Do you know I saved you? Do you have any clue about what happened." She waited while she desperately looked at him to answer. "I think you've been drinking. With her. "

What was she thinking? He got irritated very quickly. "So? I reckon that's my business. You're doing it again!"

"Doing what?"

"Avoiding me. Are you jealous or something? What is with you!"

Stevie shook her head, she felt like he didn't knew what happened and what he had done. "Alex..I didn't asked you to come back to fight. Don't you act like I don't give a damn! I saved you're life for gods sake! You almost died! How could you? How could you be so irresponsible?"

It became quiet when she emotionally told him what exactly happened. Tears were in her eyes and he noticed. Alex felt totally confused. He knew she was right, how could he be so stupid? She continued:"I don't need a 'thank you', or anything like that. I just want you to know what happened. Still can't believe you took of like that."

Alex felt his eyes got filled with tears, his eyelids got a little red and he looked pale. He was angry, but also very sad about everything. "I saw Harry and something broke inside. He humiliated me so often lately, it really start to hurt. I needed to leave, or else I might hurt him." He heavily sighed. "I feel like I lost myself Stevie, I need to find myself back. I wouldn't just leave."

Stevie knew and understood his anger and sadness against Harry, she shared it with him, although she wasn't even related. "I know, that's why I get worried sick if you take off like that."

Again, there was a silence. You could almost here her think. Stevie knew Harry could hurt to the bone, even his own son. Alex might not be his own flesh and blood, but he'd still call him his 'son'. That would be a good thing, but why on earth would you hurt your own child like that? Stevie will never understand why a father would treat his son like that. She couldn't help thinking about Rose for a moment.

He looked at her all the time and was wondering what went on in her mind. "Stevie?" She felt tears coming up when their eyes met. Alex added while he took hold of her hand. "Maybe you don't want to hear it, but I have to mention it: Thanks mate, thanks for saving me. It means a lot to me."

Stevie's mind was getting full. Full of thoughts about Alex, Rose and Harry...The most directly and honestly way to tell him her feelings right now would be if she responded with _**You**__ mean a lot to me Alex. _But the words kind of disappeared when she thought of them.

"Now tell me.." He demanded.

"Tell you what?" She woke up from her thoughts and had hoped he would forget.

Alex looked at her, he pulled up one eyebrow. "I came back for you, you know. There was something important you had to tell me." he smiled after he said that.

\Stevie couldn't help smiling back. "I know. But I don't know where to start."

Alex shook his head and smiled again. "Don't you have a beer? I'm sure it talks a lot easier."

Stevie didn't hesitated one second and walked right into the house to get a six pack. On her way she was thinking about how to begin. And she couldn't help to think about the outcome. What if he left right after the conversation? What if it confused him even more? She knew Harry wasn't fond'of her. At all. Harry let her and even Alex know she wasn't 'wedding material'. But if she thought about it long enough she didn't really care what Harry thought. Only Alex his opinion mattered, his thoughts and feelings.

When she came back she giggled holding the six pack in her hands. "You know..If you start drinking you're not even allowed to drive?"

"I already wasn't allowed to drive. It's even better I came back. But you know what? Your call sobered me up a little. And I'm really curious about what you have to tell me. It doesn't have something to do with you avoiding me, right?"

Stevie handed over a beer and lowered herself next to him. He thanked her again for saving him. She felt that warm, lovely feeling again, which she felt so very often being at his side.

She awkwardly began to say what she had in mind.."I ehm..We..So you noticed I was acting weird today?"

He nodded "Yep, I sure did." Then he waited for her to continue and sipped his beer.

She stammered. "I, I dreamed about you, about us."

The look in his eyes turned to an even more interesting, but naughty look. "Riight..."

She started to laugh. It was such a difficult, but also funny conversation..."You think it was a pretty naughty dream, don't you?" He tried to hide his smile. "Oh come on Alex! You're being obvious. The expression on your face says it all." They both laughed, it kind of helped her a bit, to brake the ice.

"Ok, let me tell you what happened...You dropped by to return something...And then you lifted me up and eeh...You started kissing me...like crazy." Alex his eyes where locked onto hers when she told him everything.

Her voice got a lot softer when she added. "You told me you love me." Then it got so quiet, you could here a needle fall...

Stevie waited on purpose, to see how he would react. She even imagined him laughing or joking about it. But instead he looked very sweet and softly responded.

"So that's why you let me drive all the way back here? To tell me about the dream?" He shuffled towards her.

"I'm not finished." She shyly smiled, while she flicked her hair.

He gently smiled. "At what part did you woke up?" She playfully pushed him in the arm. "It was nothing more then a kiss Alex. I woke up while we were kissing. The alarm woke me up."

"So do I kiss better in your dreams?"

"Better then when?"

"You know what I mean, I don't have to remind you, right?"

Stevie felt she started to blush. She knew exactly what he was talking about. It was their first kiss.

"Maybe you should." It got quiet for a moment. They both sipped their beer, unsure of what to say next. Stevie's eyes searched for his again and she repeated. "Maybe you should remind me." Then she looked at him, awaiting.

Now that got Alex by surprise! He looked at her with a questioning look on his face. "And how do I have to do that? Cause I know you know exactly what we're talking about."

Stevie got all warm inside and butterflies woke up in her belly. They both felt the tension rise between them. "It may freshen up my mind, cause I'm feeling kind of confused, to be honest."

Alex frowned his eyebrows, he stood up to walk up and down the porch..

Stevie knew she had to explain herself. She got up too and walked towards him. "I would let you go Alex...I would not call you that often...If I only hadn't realized how much I care about you."

He instantly moved closer to her when he heard that. "I care about you too. I wouldn't think about driving back, if it wasn't for you." He carefully touched her face and held it with both hands. "Stevie." He whispered. "How much do care about me exactly?" He suddenly seem to realize what she wanted to tell him.

His eyes could always tell her so much, but now they were asking and he was waiting. They looked into each others eyes.

He was still holding her face when she softly said. "Alex. I hated to wake up from that dream."

A smile appeared on his face, as his fingers were moving from her hair to her chin. He softly pushed her chin up, like he was hungry for her kiss. He wanted to hear what she was trying to tell him. She was amazed by his reaction, so close and full of love. It also scared her.

"That's why I was avoiding you. The dream was so realistic. You called me cowgirl, like you did this morning when I freaked out."

"It''s ok..."

"I just never had a dream like that about us. But it made me realize..."

"Maybe we should freshen up your mind...And mine too." He whispered.

Stevie wasn't quite sure how to respond, she felt so weak all of a sudden. She'd never expected him to respond like this. He touched her hair again.

"I'm scared Alex."

"Why? We'll see what happens."

"I don't want to lose you."

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere, ok?...I promise." He looked into her eyes, trying to read what's on her mind.

"I love you Alex." A silence followed, they just looked at each other. The expression on Alex' face changed immediately, his eyes began to shine again and he seemed happy to hear those words.

She added. "That's right, I do...For a while I guess. And I should have told you..."

"Ssshhh..." Alex came closer and softly pressed his lips onto hers. Slowly and full of love he started to kiss her. After a while he broke of the kiss. "I love you too." Stevie started to cry, tears of happiness.

She giggled as he began to tickle her, he playfully lifted her of the ground, to carry her into the house.

"Maybe we should take it slow Alex."

He laughed. "I think we took it slow long enough."

Stevie responded, giggling again when he tightened his grip. "Oh well I thought I had to wait 20 years for this." She caressed his hair and cheek, longing for another kiss.

"You once said 10." He reminded her when she saved him from the tank.

When they reached her bedroom he placed her on her feet again. When she touched the floor Stevie grabbed him by his waist and pulled him closer. "So...You owe me twice cowboy..."

"Oh come here you," He wrapped his arms around her and tightened his grip. "I'll make it all up to ya." He gently lifted her of the floor again, threw her on his shoulder and hopped on to the bed. She laughed out loud. "Alex! Put me down!"

After a while, when they're finally lying peacefully and quietly, kissing on the bed, he gently pulled her on top of him and said."Don't you ever avoid me again cowgirl, I hate that."

She pressed her legs against his and when he started to kiss her again she lowered her head and deepened the kiss. They both felt the amount of butterflies increase inside their body's...With one hand she carresed his attractive body and with the other hand she touched his hair and face. Her eyes were twinkling and she looked very happy.

"I love you so much Alex."

"I love you even more." He teased.

She giggled. "You can't love me more."

"I'll prove it to ya."

_**So that's a better ending of season 5 if you ask me! No Fiona at all! Stevie and Alex happy together, for like more then 2 seasons, that's how it should be! What do you think? :)**_


End file.
